Uruguayan Sirino strikes as Sundowns take four-point lead

Johannesburg (AFP) – Uruguayan Gaston Sirino scored to give Mamelodi Sundowns a 1-0 victory at Golden Arrows on Wednesday, and a four-point lead after seven rounds of the South African Premiership.

The slightly built 30-year-old midfielder fired a low shot past Namibian goalkeeper Maximilian Mbaeva on 58 minutes to win the match in Indian Ocean port city Durban.

It was a smartly created goal by the record 11-time Premiership winners with a backheel and a perfectly weighted pass setting up Sirino to shoot from the edge of the box.

Mid-table Arrows wasted a chance to equalise when Michael Gumede missed a penalty.

Seeking a record-extending fifth consecutive league title, Sundowns have 19 points from six victories and a draw away to lowly Chippa United.

The Pretoria club lost only once in 30 Premiership matches last season — at home to Kaizer Chiefs — and many pundits believe they can go one better in this campaign and finish unbeaten.

Sirino, Ugandan goalkeeper Denis Onyango, Kenyan centre-back Brian Mandela and Namibian forward Peter Shalulile started for Sundowns.

The number of imports rose to five during the second half when Brazilian centre-back Ricardo Nascimento came off the bench to play on a pitch with many grass-less patches.

– Winners AmaZulu anger coach –

SuperSport United, the other Pretoria club among 16 in the Premiership, lie second with 15 points and Royal AM and Stellenbosch share third place with 13 each.

Seventh-place AmaZulu, a Durban club who exceeded expectations last season by finishing runners-up behind Sundowns, angered coach Benni McCarthy despite a 1-0 win over bottom club TS Galaxy in Mbombela.

“I keep telling my players that football is a simple game, but they do not listen most of the time,” said the 2004 UEFA Champions League winner with Jose Mourinho-managed Porto.

“Football becomes complicated when silly players do unaccustomed things. Lionel Messi and other world superstars do not do that.”

“I remained silent at half-time, believing the look on my face would say it all,” added McCarthy, 43, who played for top-flight clubs in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and England.

AmaZulu claimed the only goal on 56 minutes with slick passing and good off-the-ball movement creating space for Luvuyo Memela to fire home.

Elsewhere, Maritzburg United and Orlando Pirates drew 0-0 and Royal snatched a 2-2 draw at lowly Marumo Gallants thaaks to an added-time goal by Sedwyn George.